You may remember that affordable $100 tablet we covered a few weeks ago, the Ainovo Novo7. This mid-tier tablet beat everyone else in the race to release with Android 4.0, including the ASUS Transformer Prime. It was released in China, but getting it to the states cost another $60, which pushed some people away from purchasing this tablet for the holidays.

While you may not be able to get this device before Christmas (tomorrow), you can get your hands on it soon enough. The Novo7 has recently started showing up on US retailers’ sites. It goes for $120 in the US. We’re sure you won’t mind, since you can now skip the $60 shipping fee and get the tablet delivered for free.

So, there you go guys! If you want a late Christmas gift (or just a new toy for yourself), head over to Pandawill or Merimobiles and order it. You may be able to find the tablet on other American sites. Be careful, though; there are other non-ICS versions available, so make sure you select the right one.

What do you say? Is anyone getting the first Ice Cream Sandwich tablet available? It’s only $120!

Hello, I am Edgar Cervantes. I am an avid Android fan, and keeping myself updated on the topic is part of my daily life. I will always work hard to give the best of me to our community of Android enthusiasts, and I am very honored to be part of this ship. Hopefully we can all enjoy sharing our knowledge and opinions!

Are you kidding me? ICS runs surprisingly well on a 600MHZ processor and 256 megs of ran on my OG droid (even in alpha builds). I personally believe that the UI feels snappier because of the GPU acceleration.

Let me tell you, HC (ICS update still not released by Ainol) lags less on this tablet than my Asus Transformer, what is a big word – I know, the TF got a screen 2.6x bigger in resolution, but it also has a better GPU and dual-core CPU. Not to say that Ainol already released kernel sources, plus a whole patch for the AOSP tree, so you can easily compile any version (even ICS with some modding), without having any hassle. And yes, they released every source – audio, display, touchscreen modules, gralloc, etc, everything is there you need! Totally opensource, and mostly community driven – there’s already ClockWorkMod compiled with install guide, and CM is in the works as I heard.

I haven’t tried this tablet myself, but people, especially those less technical-savvy, often forgot that optimization counts a lot. If the tablet makers spend more times into optimizing the hardware (instead of wasting the money on customizing the skins), it’s entirely possible that they can beat a dual-core CPU powered tablet with a single-core one, provided the single-core CPU’s performance isn’t too bad to begin with. Now, I am not talking about beating the performance in a benchmark, but in the perceived performance.

Not really, look at the specs.. the big manufacturers are not releasing low-end tablets not only because they want to make more money, but also because they don’t want to weaken their brand by making it seem like they sell cheap electronics

Yeah, nothing says “quality” like fairly decent hardware limited by cobbled together software with an update cycle that screams “procrastination”, all while they spit out a phone every month with the same software development process.

There are only a few “crappy parts”:
- The screen: definitely a drawback, while seems nice, it’s very dark, and does not look good in sunlight. Also has the usual problem of chinese displays – it gets the darkening effect if you hold it as a tablet and rotate it upwards.
- Camera: isn’t the best, but it’s what you might want it for: video chatting. And for that, it’s perfect.
- WiFi: Somehow Ainol thought it will be enough to have a Samsung SWL-N20 (SDIO interface) chipset, without an antennae. Signal is weak, but if you open the tab up and solder a PSP antennae to the endpoints, it’ll get better.
- No BT, GPS, or 3G – this is what you get for your money. Although every USB Bluetooth, GPS, and most of the chinese 3G sticks (Huawei and ZTE) work.
- Not so long battery life. It only got a 2000mAh battery, and it discharges fast!

Thank you for the detailed review. Now I read it I’m not sure if I’ll get one for my self. Hell I can pay a little bit more and get a fire or Nook color. But I know a friend who wants to get one. For this price I don’t blame him.

I read about another tablet made by Ainol running Homenycomb, but after looking at the specs I said I’ll pass. Is IceCreamSandwich really that well optimized? I want a tablet now. I thought it must have 1 GB of RAM at least and 1 Ghz processor, not necessarily dual-core. If this tablet has a decent quality, I may reconsider buying one, especially if it’s that cheap.

The Ainol quality is superior in relation to the other Chinese manufacturers (I mean the low-end ones), it comes in quality packing, almost premium accessories (remote control, USB host and normal cable, a kinda good quality headset, manual, description of the device, etc etc), and the tablet itself, while seems cheap, has a good selection of materials. The plastic is nice to touch, the touchscreen isn’t bad, etc etc.

ICS isn’t out for the N7 Basic, but the Paladin comes with it as I heard, and I have tried ICS on their N7A – it is truly well optimized while it was a beta build with some non-working features (audio wasn’t totally good, sometimes I got creaks instead of sound (like, touch sounds), but overall experience was good).

These tablets will not mash down the top quarter, but definitely will rule the cheap section. Mass production, low prices, better and better quality and support (Ainol released source codes for even the bootloader!), and so on.

Please do note, that due to the MIPS CPU, the tablet will not run most of the apps and games what use native code, just like Angry Birds (there’s already a port, but not yet in the Market), media players, etc. I myself got a Novo 7 Basic since Wednesday, and while it’s great, it has it’s own drawbacks (the MIPS-being). I really suggest that if you’re looking for a better tab, go for the Ainol Novo 7 Advanced (currently the manufacturing has been stopped but can be bought from some places), what got an Allwinner A10 1GHz CPU, and same stuff as the Basic one (the A10 is currently the most open CPU architecture, based on Cortex-A8). Also Ainol plans to come with a few more tablets, two being A10-based: The Ainol Wizard and Aurora. Difference between the two is the display: the Aurora stars an IPS panel with a bit higher resolution, while the Wizard only got a standard TFT one with the same resolution.

I actually find the MIPS processor to be interesting. I’m pretty darn geeky, but I just like to get my hands on alternative hardware (and software). This tablet may not be for everyone, but I think I will give it a try.

Thanks, I think I might wait for the Wizard. I don’t want nothing much. Just a tablet I can port over my Android games I have on my Smartphone to play them the best way possible, being on a tablet. Some games just seem better played on Tablets. & just having a camera to video-chat with friends when I move out of state. Apparently according to one site, it will be coming out in 20 days in January. Idk if that’s a overseas release date, or US too. Hopefully it will be able to ship overseas like this one has because from my knowledge this thing hasn’t still officially released, the se third-party sites are just have some in stock & what not.

That’s a great price for a decent processer! I’m sure that can play a lot of games I got for a dime from the Android Market, I got for free from the Amazon Appstore, and get for free from the Get Jar App Store. Seriously, who needs to be a pirate on this awesome and open OS!

Same here, what point is there on spending $120 on a tablet with low quality and next to no chance of being upgraded. To speak in metaphor, this tablet is the first to a new island but will be stranded there.

Even if it can’t handle every little thing, that’s an amazing price and a good enough set of specs for a starter tab. Plus it’s cheap enough to toss into a backpack and go. Something happens to it and you’re not out much. Unless it turns out to be a complete turd, I’m very likely to pick one up.

A 1GHz CPU? Is it stock ICS? That’d be amazing if they could get ICS running smoothly on such a low-end tablet … How much RAM, though? Does anyone know?
The Nexus One had those sort of specs two years ago D:

It may not have the best hardware specs, but then again it also doesn’t cost $500-$700. Not everyone wants to spend $500-700 for a tablet. Tablets like this, the Fire and Nook are perfect for many people.

I’m going to wait for the reviews to come out on this one. I was interested when I first heard about it but wasn’t willing to take the leap. Great price for a tablet that will do the job for most of the people that buy it. Like I said, I’ll wait for the reviews.

You simply can’t compare completely different CPU architectures solely on the basis of clock speed. Many things can be different, such as average clock cycles per instruction and how many instructions are needed to actually do things. Another important factor is how optimized the MIPS implementation of the Dalvik VM is. In the end, we’ll just have to see how quickly this tablet actually runs things.

MIPS currently isn’t so good as ARM, due to the unoptimized Dalvik (there are a few unofficial optimized ones, but for GB and Froyo only), but it will get better. So far, it’s performance is pretty good. Not the best, as it discharges fast, but not the worst, and it’s definitely better than a Samsung S5PC110.

Honestly I live in Europe and I wanted it when it first came out and the 60 US shipping price tag pushed me away, much like the RIDICULOUS fees and costs to buy a tablet here too… plus I would be hit with VAT @ 23% on top of that, VAT = VALUE ADDED TAX.

So I sat on it, and now I think I made a mistake NOT jumping in, cause I just think I did. I was debating a KINDLE FIRE or this… mostly I would use it for eBooks and stuff like this, nothing high end… though… Id like to game a little… anyway, I would like to know if ANYONE actually ordered and got one?

I know a friend of my husband’s did order BUT has not got it yet?? We are curious how it runs, though he is NOT high end, my husband would cause it to over heat :) but anyway…

amazing how easily people just let go of the fact that it’s putting money into the hands of the communist party, terrorism and inhuman offense of individual rights and liberties every time they buy this communist Chinese crap. Oooh, newest technology cheap, so what if my grandchildren have to salute Mao every morning in school.

Wow really? Racist much. Look you can’t tell me you have never bought something that wasn’t made from China. Anyways I would totally buy this almost just because of ICS and price. But not to excited bout the specs though. I’m not sure how efficient ICS will be. On this weak hardware

Political and human rights choices are not racism. You are the proof of my statement. I buy whatever I can that is made in the free world, but unfortunately too much of the corporate world has drank the cheap koolaid to avoid it all together. In which case I determine my real need for the product before I further support communism and their particular brand of terrorism.

Let me ask you for something. Grab any electronic tech around you, and check the “made in ………” sticker. If it’s a more complex thing, like a phone, check the components, and the manufacturer. You’ll come down to a result that almost EVERYTHING is “Made In China”. Every little thing. It doesn’t matter where it was assembled, if the components are made in China, you “pay the communism to grow”.
And actually, look at China. Almost the only one country on our planet that has CONSTANTLY growing economy, GDP, and actually the only country what develops into a system what can work for centuries. Yes, it might be not the best country to live in, with many of the restrictions, but without those, there would be nothing. I hate how people can’t see that the ideal of “free world” leads to anarchy. If there’s a strong leader, and his trusted people to control a country, a continent, or even the planet, with RESTRICTIONS, we could live better. Not because it’s communism, or capitalism, or feudalism, but because a good leader, with good rules, can make society, economy better, and if it’s better, I don’t really care what is the base of it. Yes, China is a communist country. But do not mix it up with the communism of the Soviet Union. It is more open, less strict, and took some parts from capitalism. Yet you say it is bad.
Take the USA as an example. With capitalism, it caused three economic world crisis. China, with strict rules, survived it with growing incomes!
About terrorism. In the US, there are given people, radicals, you call them, who want the system down. Why? Because they want power, money, etc etc. In China, it’s the same. It’s just the media that blows the whole case up. If a few radicals are jailed in any capitalist country, it’s called “keeping up the order”. If the same happens in communist China, it’s called “governmental terrorism against peaceful demonstrators”. See the difference? And yes, sometimes to keep up the order, more harsh methods are needed. They aren’t good, but if they are only temporary, for the time of the crisis, it can help. And in China, it helped, and helps.

Clearly you know almost nothing about China, except the things the governments want you to believe: “China is bad, communist, there are terrorists, you shouldn’t even talk to a chinese!”. This is extremely wrong. I have a few contacts in China (one of them being a contact at Ainol), and while there are a lot of blown up news across CNN, BBC, etc, they told me clearly that their current status, the community’s current status is good. And I believe more to actual people observing their country than any news media what can twist it to the will of the actual government.

Really? I guess those threatening to commit suicide at Foxxcon are part of this ‘working government’ that China has so eloquently maintained. I guess if you kill and imprison everyone who opposes your ideology, things start looking pretty darn good. ‘Trust me because I’m the leader or die’, its a great way to lead. Hitler was beating nearly ever country in Europe with few problems, I mean, if the country is doing well, we should support it right? Or at least accept and admire how great it is that they’ve been able to succeed and ignore how they’re doing it. Heck, lets admire people who cheat at video games because they figured out how to use hacks and beat everyone else.

No, I don’t believe everything my ‘government wants me to believe’. I don’t hate communism, but I will say that hundreds of people don’t THREATEN TO COMMIT MASS SUICIDE when working conditions and life are just fine and dandy. I will agree that choosing to not buy anything from China is just plain silly and would be a terrible decision for most businesses trying to compete, I will say those businesses should be checking into the factories where they order things. Also do not assume that I believe the good ole USA is truly a ‘free country’, its not. I agree with you on that, much of our freedom and the way stories are portrayed are just semantics aka ‘keeping the order’ and ‘governmental abuse of power’, much of the time they are exactly the same thing. However comparing the freedom in China to the USA is like comparing handcuffs and finger trap toy.

This is a neat little tablet and a nice value at that price point. However, if I’m going to invest in a tablet, with ICS or otherwise, it’s going to have to have some real muscle under the hood. I’ll play the waiting game for now :)

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